"Whistling Past the Graveyard" Revuew

“Whistling Past the Graveyard” by Susan Crandall

Published by Gallery Books

Finished 7/19/16 – 4/5 stars

I’ve heard this book compared to “Secret Life of Bees”, “The Help” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” and it made me wonder if it could really stand up to such comparisons.  Those are all wonderful books so that is quite a statement.  I was skeptical because I’ve read other comparisons in reviews that I found to be completely without merit, as if trying to rope you in simply by mentioning a best seller when truly the books are nothing alike.   Well, in this instance I can tell you that those comparisons are absolutely correct.  Starla can easily be compared to Scout Finch and Eula can easily be compared to Aibileen Clark.  These are strong female characters in a story that takes place in Mississippi during 1963.

Starla is a feisty red-headed 9 year old girl living with her grandmother while her father is off working on an oil rig and her mother is in Nashville trying to become a singer.  When she gets herself in trouble, yet again, she decides to run away to Nashville to live with her mother rather than be sent to reform school.  That same evening, a black woman named Eula is on her way home from delivering pies she baked, sees someone abandoning a baby on the church steps, and decides to take it.  While driving home, Eula comes across Starla and stops to see if she’s OK.  Starla ends up climbing into the truck and from that moment on the two form quite a bond, helping each other through various struggles over the next couple weeks.  You will laugh, you will tear up, and you will fall in love with both Starla and Eula while you read about their journey.  And then I know you will recommend it to your friends because you will love the book as well.

"The Summer That Melted Everything" Review

“The Summer That Melted Everything” by Tiffany McDaniel

Published by St. Martin’s Press

Finished 7/12/16 - 4/5 Stars

I’m shocked that this is a debut novel.  The storyline is very original (as are some of the character names) and the writing is simply wonderful.  The only negative I have would be that occasionally it felt a little forced rather than simply flowing.  Overall though, it was great and I think this author has a lot to bring to the literary world.

The novel is narrated by Fielding Bliss, a very lonely old man fighting internal demons of his own.  He tells the story of when he was a 13 year old boy in 1984 - the year the devil, who appears as a young, homeless, black boy, came to the very small town of Breathed, Ohio.  Fielding’s dad and the sheriff don’t believe him to be the devil and try to find out who he actually belongs to, but as negative things happen the town becomes more and more convinced that he is in fact the devil.  As the novel switches between the adult Fielding and young Fielding, you are able to see how events of his youth have shaped his life.     

The timing of the release of this book couldn’t be better.  There are currently disturbing issues in America revolving around racism, homosexuality, stereotypes, and bullying.  A recurring theme within the novel is judging people based on their appearance and without truly knowing them - their thoughts, their fears, their struggles, their loves, and their losses.  The actions and re-actions based on these judgements effect the entire community.  Isn’t that true in real life as well?

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this novel in return for an honest review.  I greatly appreciate it and wish for wonderful things to come for this talented author.

"The True Story of Hansel and Gretel" Review

“The True Story of Hansel and Gretel:  A Novel of War and Survival”

By Louise Murphy

Published by Penguin Books

Finished 7/1/16 – 5 / 5 stars

I am truly at a loss for words as to how much I adored this book.  Yes, it’s another book taking place during World War II but it can’t be defined by that.  It is a story of love and compassion, putting your life at risk for others, and the struggle to survive.  Unlike other holocaust books I’ve read, this one takes place in a small village in Poland and the surrounding woods and fields.  A Jewish family escapes the ghetto and separates in order to try and survive.  The children’s names are changed to Hansel and Gretel to try to be accepted if they are found, and of course they are…..by a little old Gypsy woman named Magda.  The story follows their life with Magda as well as the life of their father and stepmother who left them at the edge of the woods so as not to be caught by the soldiers chasing them.  There are other characters intertwined as well, and most will tug at your heart strings.

The writing is absolutely fabulous.  There is one scene that takes place in a concentration camp, a horrific place, yet it was beautifully done.  As odd as this will sound, I think it was my favorite part of the book.  Obviously not because of what took place, but because of the way it was written – so full of love and compassion.  It will stay with me for a long time.

Another piece that will stay with me is Greta’s description of the Milky Way……”All those stars in that big streak that goes over the whole sky?  You see them?  Those are all the Jews who’ve died.  All of them died and went up in the air, and the stars are the stars that they wore on their coats.  The stars on the coats come off when their souls float up and the stars live up in the sky forever.”  And when disturbed by a shooting star falling, Hansel says ”They aren’t falling.  They’re going down to meet other people that are going up.”  Just beautiful.